Consistent Water Depth: A Requirement for Skimmers
Make no mistake about it! A steady and consistent water depth is a universal requirement for all internal skimmers.
While there may be some skimmers on the market claiming they don’t need consistent or steady water depth, we have yet to come across any that are even remotely as effective as they suggest. Therefore, we caution our fellow aquarium enthusiasts against such marketing gimmicks!
Editor’s Note: If you use an internal skimmer that has successfully proven to be effective over time without steady water depth, we’d love to hear about it. Seriously! Until we’re aware of such a unicorn’s existence though, we’re more likely to believe in Big Foot…
Why is Steady Water Depth Important?
Steady water depth leads to consistent pressure on the aquarium’s pump. As a result, discharge from the skimmer is more orderly. Keeping these variables consistent will significantly help you maintain a more steady, efficient operation for your aquarium. This significantly helps prevent unpredictable and volatile results that can otherwise arise.
Without steady water depth, a skimmer will undoubtedly require constant adjustments on your part. This can make things more challenging for maintaining a healthy aquarium. As an aquarium lover, we all know maintenance can be a necessary pain… but efficiency is key for mitigating risks and limiting stress.
By keeping a steady and consistent water depth, pump pressure and discharge all in sync, you will thank yourself by saving both time and energy. Otherwise, you will frequently have to manage overflow or under skim… In other words, an absolute nightmare scenario to deal with!
How Do I Maintain Steady Water Depth?
There are a few ways to achieve consistent water depth for aquariums:
- A well-designed sump. Most reef sumps have a baffle. Similar to a dam, this maintains a steady depth of water behind it. This provides an effective skimmer chamber in your sump and keeps water levels steady. Of course, that is unless you shut off your return pump for whatever reason. By doing so, the sump will eventually fill with tank water and cause skimmer overflow.
- If you use an inexpensive small aquarium for your sump, without any baffles or walls built into it, an accurate auto top off device is critical to keep your water level consistent. These utilize some kind of liquid level switch, of which can vary depending on the type of device. Often times, these switches are optical or determine the resistance between two probes. This makes these devices very accurate, and thus, they are unlikely to fail in comparison to a plain old electric switch.
- When using a small aquarium as a sump, another viable method is to use our Simplicity filter sock holders. These can handle up to 1.5” thick rims around the aquarium and are universal in most cases. These also won’t spill over the edge of the tank when your filter sock gets clogged! They are durable, can work with tanks up to 1.75″ thick and fit most filter socks with rings. Depending on your needs, we currently offer two sizes for our filter sock holders: 4″ and 7″.
One more potential option… If you are unable to use one of these methods for whatever reason, you are likely better off investing in an external skimmer to alleviate issues instead.
Save Time & Energy on Maintenance Now!
Regardless of whichever method you choose from the above, you will save yourself from a lot of hassle caused by unpredictable results. There is no reason to waste your time or energy… Simplicity Aquatics provides many cost-effective, proven products to successfully improve your aquarium’s health and just make life easier!
We hope you found this article informational to your aquarium research. As always, if you have any questions or feedback for us, please do not hesitate to drop us an email here.